Hey Alex,
Google Play Store is commonly known as the Android Market - the digital distribution platform for Android operating systems and the digital media store operated by Google.
The vast storage of apps, games, and all that Google has to offer is the largest repository of data in the world, and almost anything you want to find, can be found there.
However, there are times when you need to install an app from outside the marketplace that offers Android apps. Google does not operate as closely as Apple when it comes to what's sold in the app store, but it can still test rates on the spot. Or maybe you want to install an older version of an app you already own because it works well on your device.
Let's take a look at some of the ways we install Android apps without using the Google Play Store in following steps.
Enable Unknown Sources
Android app bundles packaged in APK files may also be downloaded from outside the Play Store (such as through your web browser). However, before attempting to install APKs, you must first authorize the phone to install the word "Unknown Sources" (i.e., the application is not in the Play Store).
To do this, navigate to "Settings -> Security" and check the box marked "Unknown Sources", then click "OK" and "Trust".
Find the APK you want to install
You may already have a trusted site to download the APK. If you do not have one yet, we can recommend the
APKMirror site, which is ideal for legally found APKs of older versions of the Play Store app, free apps, and more.
You can download APKs directly through your phone's web browser, at which point you will receive a message saying "This file may harm your computer." yours". Do not worry, if you get a file from APKMirror or another file on a site you trust, your phone will be safe too.
Download the file, then open the APK from the notification pull-down menu on your phone or by browsing the Downloads folder on your phone's file manager. Touch Install and your new app will be ready shortly.
You can also download APKs through a browser on your computer, at which point you'll need to transfer files via your phone via microUSB or wireless network and install from there.
Settings using Google Drive, Dropbox, and other cloud services
Also, if you download an APK on another device, you can navigate to that device on your device, then upload it to a cloud service like
Google Drive or
Dropbox. Once complete, you can access it via Drive or Dropbox on your phone and open directly from the cloud service, starting the installation process.
Install the app using the online APK installer
The online apk installer is a web application created by the htc-hd2 XDA-Developers forum user for the purpose of manually installing an .apk file. This is useful if you want to share an APK file with your friends because after uploading the APK you want to install, it will generate a QR code that you (or your friends) can scan on your screen. to start the installation process.
To do this, first navigate to
APKInstall.
Here you will see the black button "Browse Files...". Select this file and select the apk file on your computer.
When uploading a file, the QR code will appear on the page.
You must scan this QR code with a barcode scanner. We recommend using
QR Code Reader and we find that
Unlimited QR Code Reader is not bad either.
Once the QR code has been scanned, you can click the link to download the .apk file straight to your device.
Once the .apk file has been downloaded to your Android device, you can set it up by touching in the notification menu or finding the file in the file manager and following the instructions on the phone screen.
Hope it helps!